When you are good at your job, the reward for good work is more work (read my Forbes article about this idea). You are organized, meet deadlines, solve problems, and are meticulous about your work. You are the one everyone can count on. A task needs to be done, and nobody raises their hand to volunteer. Your boss proudly announces at a meeting that you will do it, and he has full faith you will do a good job.
You have just been “voluntold.” It is a tongue-in-cheek term used to describe a situation where you are assigned or obligated to do something at work without having the opportunity to decline or express your preference. Being too busy or uninterested is simply irrelevant when you are voluntold.
Here are some signs that you may have been voluntold to do something at work:
Lack of choice
You were given a task or responsibility without being asked if you were willing or available to take it. If you are excited, overwhelmed, or indifferent was never explored.
Surprise announcement
You were abruptly informed about the assignment or responsibility without any prior discussion or consultation. You heard about the new task you must complete, along with everyone else.
Assigned by someone else
The decision to assign you the task was made by someone in a position of higher authority, such as your boss, without considering your input or preferences.
Limited input or feedback
The task was imposed on you, and you were not offered the opportunity to provide input or express your opinion.
Pressure to comply
You never had a choice. There might be an expectation or pressure from your boss to accept the task, leaving you with little choice but to comply.
Predefined timeline
The task has a predetermined deadline or timeline that has been set without considering your existing workload or commitments.
Lack of negotiation
There was no discussion. You were not given the opportunity to negotiate or review alternative options or potential adjustments to the task, timeline, or deliverables.
Unrelated to your role or expertise
The task or responsibility assigned to you is outside of your usual scope of work or area of expertise, and it was given to you without an explanation or justification. The powers that be know you will figure it out.
Repetitive pattern
You have experienced similar situations where tasks were imposed on you without your input.
If you notice several of these signs in a given situation, it may indicate that you have been voluntold to do something at work. However, it’s important to remember that context and individual circumstances can vary, so it’s crucial to communicate openly with your superiors and colleagues to address any concerns or issues that may arise.
Some might see being voluntold as a good thing – you’ve been singled out as someone who can be counted on. But when you become the dumping ground for all the jobs no one wants or can do; you will soon find yourself miserable and on the road to burnout. Supervisors need to understand that high achievers, who are disproportionately given the tasks they didn’t sign up for, will leave an organization if they feel they are not valued and are voluntold too often.